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Dangerous Man Brewing in Minneapolis: Craft-beer enthusiasts line a long table and bar at the copper-and-stainless-steel taproom of the Northeast Minneapolis brewery on March 5, 2013. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

A vintage sign marks the building housing the Dangerous Man Brewery, at 1300 Second St. N.E. in Minneapolis. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

Tucked into an industrial area of Roseville, Pour Decisions taproom has its own vibe -- workaday and dark, with the brewing equipment in full view of drinkers. (Courtesy of Pour Decisions)

The term "session beer" is bandied about in taproom culture. Basically, it means the beers have lower alcohol content, so consumers can drink more of them in one "session." (Courtesy of Pour Decisions)

Pour Decisions owners B.J. Haun, left, and Kristen England show off artwork on the taproom wall by local artist and friend Jake Keeler. England's 3-year-old son named the painted northern pike Laverne.

Steel Toe Brewing in St. Louis Park has modern wall colors and light fixtures but nevertheless has a small-town dive-bar vibe -- which is a good thing. (Courtesy of Steel Toe Brewing)

We already knew we liked Provider (5 percent ABV), a refreshing, citrusy, slightly grassy, perfect-for-barbecuing beer. But we discovered that the rest of Steel Toe's beers are worth a trip, too. (Courtesy of Steel Toe)

Harriet Brewing in Minneapolis: It's part taproom, part nightclub. And the source of the fresh beer in your pint glass is never out of sight. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo)

Harriet Brewing general manager Katie McLaughlin serves up a pint. A 2011 legislative action, dubbed the “Surly Law,” has paved the way for small breweries to sell their beer by the pint on-site. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo)

Harriet Brewing has live music a few nights a week. On a Saturday in January, Sebastian Love performs. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo)

Fulton Brewing in Minneapolis: The first taproom to open in the state is conveniently close to Target Field and spacious enough to accommodate all those Twins fans. (Courtesy of Fulton)

Fulton's long bar and big hops logo are the centerpiece of the room. The taproom is separate from the brewing room, but from a window at the end of the bar, you can see guys in rubber boots mucking out the tanks. (Courtesy of Fulton)

Fulton is a little hard to find, and parking is not great. But it’s worth any hassles to sample Fulton’s refreshing, interesting brews with fellow craft-beer fans. On-tap offerings feature a rainbow of choices. Favorites: Lonely Blonde at 4.8 percent ABV and Sweet Child of Vine at 6.4 percent. (Courtesy of Fulton)

Indeed Brewing in Minneapolis: The natural wood, exposed brick walls and big, old warehouse windows make for a scenic setting to throw one back. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin)

The tap list is front and center in this big, bright space complete with a shuffleboard table in Northeast. None of the taprooms open so far has on-site food service, but many invite food trucks to sit in their parking lots and serve hungry beer drinkers. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin)